Florida was able to split a two-goal deficit late in the first period but Reading answered early in the middle frame and, though the Everblades got within one again with several minutes remaining in regulation, was able to hold off the visitors in order to even the series at a game apiece. The Eastern Conference's best club during the regular season, the Royals again managed to more than double up the Everblades in shots, by a margin of 40-17. Florida again went 1-for-4 with the man-advantage while Reading was slightly more efficient in this contest than in the opening match, scoring once on five power play opportunities. Jesse Deckert was yanked in favor of Brady Hjelle after stopping just 11 of 14 shots in 20:18 of action. Hjelle played the next 38:21, fending off all 26 Royals shots in the process. The series now moves to Estero where both clubs will resume hostilities again on Wednesday night.

Florida, which never trailed in the opening match of the series, took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission but had to retake the lead after a lackluster start to the second period saw the game tied and fend off the Eastern Conference's top club during the course of the regular season for the better part of the final half of the contest. The host Royals doubled up the Everblades in shots, 37-16, hammering the visitors particularly hard with a 14-shot, 2-goal second period that Florida only salvaged by scoring on one of the mere 3 shots it managed to muster. Florida's special teams play, which was so critical to its first round success, shined again as the Everblades went 1-for-4 with the man-advantage while the penalty-killers negated 6 of 7 Royals opportunities. Jesse Deckert did an admirable job holding the fort, thwarting 34 of 37 shots against. Both teams square off again Saturday night in Reading.

Florida clinched an opening series victory in the comfy confines of German Arena by drawing first blood early, then adding three more goals in the opening frame to build a 4-1 lead that Elmira was unable to overcome. Unlike the previous game, the Everblades had little difficulty generating offense, managing to pump out double-digit shot totals (in sum, 37) in all three periods. Florida also won the special teams battle, going 2-for-5 with the man advantage while stonewalling Elmira on all three of its power play opportunities. Jesse Deckert stopped 19 of 21 Jackals shots in the contest. Florida advances to the semifinals where it will face Reading. The Everblades will begin the seven-game series on the road, with the first match against the Royals coming Friday night.

After beating Elmira twice in its own barn to push the Jackals to the brink of elimination, Florida came up well short in its first shot at clinching a series victory, falling 4-0 before mustering its first and only goal past the midpoint of the third period. The Everblades managed 28 shots in the game but had difficulty generating offense until the game was well out of reach, as only 11 of those came through the first two frames. Both clubs ended the match 1-for-5 with the man advantage. Jesse Deckert stopped 24 of 28 Jackals shots. Both clubs will next head back to Estero for the remainder of the series, with Game 6 to be played Monday night.

Florida, after squandering a two-goal lead built up nearing the midpoint of the middle period and falling behind minutes later, scored twice in the final frame to narrowly edge Elmira and take a commanding series lead. Both teams mustered 37 shots on goal for the game, though the Everblades again won the special teams battle, burying two of its five sequences with the man-advantage while foiling the Jackals on all but one of their power play opportunities. Everblades netminder Jesse Deckert, who has played in all four matches so far, stopped 33 of 37 shots against. Charles Landry, the lone Tampa Bay Lightning prospect to appear in the series, notched his first point of the playoffs when he was credited with a secondary helper Florida's first goal, though it was largely the result of a tremendous individual effort by Brandon MacLean. Both clubs will square off one last time in New York on Saturday night.